Following last week’s disastrous yet amusing piecrust adventures, I can affirm once again that despite my many failings, I have gotten better over the years at picking myself up, dusting myself off, and restarting my engine. Rebooting my attitude is far easier than trying to be perfect will ever be. So I’m resolved to work on refining my will, aiming less toward unachievable exactitude in my every act and more toward simply doing the very best I can and then getting on with things. Preferably, with spring in my step and a little more good humor about my shortcomings than before.
It won’t necessarily make me any more accomplished or spectacular or ingenious, but if it makes me more tolerable to others in my natural state, then it’ll be a gift not only to my own well-being but perhaps also to that of those around me. If my loss can’t be your gain, at least it shouldn’t be your loss, too! Self improvement, even that which is less evident than acquiring new and better skills and knowledge, can be more than strictly self-serving.
So I’ll keep scrubbing the pot I scorched, knowing that it’ll make me more vigilant next time and happy that it didn’t result in a ruined meal or the destruction of the house in a massive conflagration. I’ll compost those plants that I over- or under-watered and look to build up a stronger garden for the rest of the things I planted. I’ll remake that wool sweater that I’ve shrunk beyond my use and give it to a very tiny person, perhaps for his or her doll to wear. And I’ll sit back and enjoy the fruits of my labors, even if it’s only by giving me a good cackle at my ineptitude and foolish optimism. Shifting to a fresh attitude can be just as helpful and pleasing as putting on fresh underwear, and you’ll be glad that I resolve to work at doing both whenever and however often it’s helpful.
Art-Colored Glasses 
Now that song is stuck in my head 😉
I hope by now you have fully recovered! 😀
By the way, those wool sweaters that have shrunk make really great tote bags. I even look for them at the thrift stores just for that purpose! Just cut up the sleeves for straps, etc.
Outstanding! When I see shrunk woolens, I think of tea cozies, potholders, winter hats, and a whole bunch of other things that I really ought to get cracking to make, but I never thought of tote bags. Well done!
Auto cut-offs for appliances are quite handy when you hit the decade after next…
Oh, I’ve been in auto-mode’s thrall for several decades already, my love. 😉 You must think me younger than my 52-and-counting years, or that I haven’t tried improving my forgetfulness with the help of my appliances in umpteen ways! Ha! I have lived long enough to out-dumb any number of appliances by now! 😉
Do you have a camera in my kitchen, Kathryn? Just moments before sitting here, I lit the fire under a pot — for the 3rd time in 2 days — in an attempt to soften the scorched jam that is in its center, cemented in place as if by Super Glue. It will come off. I’ve bought more jars and I’ve more jam to make!
I’m so delighted the scorched concretions gave way in time for the beautiful tomato jam to emerge! YUMMY.
I have (not so) fond memories of using a drill bit like the one in your photo to remove a bajillion layers of paint from an iron bedstead..my great-grandmother slopped whatever color/type she had on-hand on it for decades. Green house paint? Why not?
Extremely useful tool, that brush!
I myself am one of those naughty/lazy DIYers endlessly clogging up the universe with my stupid quick fixes. Hence, the need for buying such a grinder-brush myself! 😉 Kudos on your patient labor!